Albuquerque, NM Fire Regulations: Wildfire Zones (2026)
Key Facts
- Enabling ordinance
- Ord. 18-2011 (ROA Art. 9-19)
- Coverage area
- 28,000 acres, 100+ miles WUI border
- Restriction stages
- Stage I, II, and III closure
- Max penalty
- $500 fine, 90 days jail
- Enforced by
- Fire Chief and Open Space Officers
Summary
The Fire Chief can declare fire bans and staged restrictions across Albuquerque's 28,000-acre wildland-urban interface, the Bosque, open space, and city-owned wildlands, whenever high winds, drought, and low humidity push fire danger up.
(A) The City of Albuquerque has unique wildland urban interface areas comprised of the Bosque Areas of the Rio Grande State Park, open space recreational areas and wildland areas that consist of 28,000 acres and over 100 miles of public-private border... The Fire Chief is hereby authorized during periods of increased fire danger in the city, both seasonal and unexpected...to issue fire restrictions and fire bans as deemed necessary.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-95: Current through Ordinance 2026-010, passed 4-6-2026).
Full Breakdown
Article 19 of the Revised Ordinances designates Albuquerque's wildland-urban interface, the Rio Grande Bosque, open space, and city-owned wildlands, as fire-restriction territory. The Fire Chief monitors fire indices, drought, and weather to impose Stage I (year-round baseline: no campfires, smoking outdoors, fireworks, off-road vehicles, chainsaws, or spark-emitting equipment), Stage II (adds limits on contractors and permittees), or Stage III (full closure of the affected open space). Bans are announced publicly and stay in force until the Fire Chief lifts them. Albuquerque Police Open Space Officers and Fire Department personnel enforce the ordinance; violators face a petty misdemeanor charge, with penalties up to $500 and 90 days in jail per day of violation.
Violations & Fines
Violating a fire ban or restriction is a petty misdemeanor: up to $500 and 90 days in jail, with each day of continued violation charged as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
What areas count as wildfire zones in Albuquerque?
Who decides when a fire ban starts in Albuquerque?
What's banned during a Stage I fire restriction?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Albuquerque
Compare Albuquerque to another location·View the New Mexico fire regulations overview
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